


With you 'til the end

by HRL



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, season 15 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26986348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HRL/pseuds/HRL
Summary: “You’ve fought for this whole world. For years. Don’t give up now. Don’t give up because of me.  You deserve to see what happens when you finally win.”The Empty comes to get Castiel a little early.Inspired by the second half of Season 15 trailer.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	With you 'til the end

**Author's Note:**

> Let me just start by saying that I as much as I love angst, I always try to end on a positive/happy note but I couldn't this time. It's been a rough few weeks for me, and this is freaking depressing, so I promise I'll do better next time!  
> Like a lot of you, I got VERY inspired about a month ago when the trailer came out (you know which one, with Cas and Dean with tears in their eyes) and wrote most of this OS back then, but it needed some polishing and it took me forever to get around to do it. I'm not sure I'm entirely satisfied with it and there are so many versions of this out there that are much better, but I wanted to post it before this week's episode just because of that ominous "there's something I need to tell you" from the trailer.
> 
> I don't have a beta, and english isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.
> 
> Sorry and enjoy I guess!

Things had been really good between him and Dean. Since they had returned from Purgatory, since Dean’s prayer, their relationship had taken a turn for the better. There was more trust that ever, on both sides. There were more smiles and lingering touches, more time spent together enjoying silences that were comfortable and never awkward. There were some deep conversations too, like the night Jack had gotten his soul back and begged for forgiveness. Dean had patted the kid’s shoulder and left the room, but Cas had found him hovering by Jack’s room a couple hours later, hesitant to knock. They had moved to the kitchen instead, and they had talked about “their” son, Mary, Chuck and the angel had even told him about his deal with the Empty. At this moment, Dean had had to fight every instinct to react calmly, but after a deep, shaky breath, they had talked some more. Talked about everything that had been left unspoken all this time. Everything except the fact that they were madly in love with each other of course. 

Now, they’re in the library, Castiel going through a few books while Dean browses the internet for anything on the Empty. He’s been showing websites with old texts to Cas a few times so they’re sitting side by side, so close that their shoulders are brushing every once in a while.   
Sam and Jack are away, retrieving some ingredients that Billie said would be required for their fight against God, and that they didn’t have at the bunker. They had been able to find everything relatively easily though, and were on their way back to the bunker. They all know that even though the spell to kill Chuck looks promising, there’s always a risk, and one of them might not make it.

For the first time in a while though, it looks like they’re getting closer to the end of the fight, and even though the threat of the Empty taking Cas is looming over them, it feels like they’re making some progress. For the first time in a long time, they have their hope back, so they even dare to exchange soft, reassuring smiles.  
Castiel feels a content and at peace. Unfortunately, like every single good thing in his life, it doesn’t last. All of a sudden, the air in the bunker feels colder. Cold enough to have Dean and Castiel stand up and exchange worried looks. Dean grabs the gun hidden under the table and Castiel lets his angel blade slide to his hand and grips it firmly. They simultaneously turn around as they hear the sound of someone walking towards them.

“Hello boys.” Billie says with an icy stare.

“What do you want, Billie? Sam and Jack are not back yet.” Dean says, lowering his gun but still suspicious.

“I’m here for Castiel. It’s time to collect.” She responds with a deadly smirk. 

Castiel feels his blood run cold and his heart misses a beat as he realizes who is standing in front of them.

“No. That wasn’t our deal. I’m not happy yet.” He says with a shaky voice.

“Oh but you see, things have changed.” The entity replies, its smile getting bigger. “And you got the Nephilim back, again. In exchange for letting him go, thus playing my part in defeating God, Death said that I could get you early, because as I told you before, you’re not essential to this battle. And I decided that I want you know. Because you might never let yourself be really happy. But taking you, right as your family is about to fight, and maybe even beat God, that must extremely painful, right?”

“Is that…” Dean can’t finish his question but moves closer to Castiel in a protective way.

The angel nods, avoiding his gaze, seeing that the hunter had finally realized that they were facing the Empty. 

“If you think I’m going to let you take him…” the hunter starts, the anger and fear both obvious in his voice.

“Let me?” the Empty laughs, then adds: “Boy, I’m older than God. You really think you can stop me? I’d like to see you try.”

From that point, things happen quickly. The Empty marches towards them; obviously aiming for Castiel with a replica of Death’s scythe and the angel gets pushed out of the way by Dean; who throws some oily oil and his lighter towards Billie’s doppelgänger. The creature catches fire and screams, and while it will definitely slows it down; they both know it won’t be enough to kill it.

Dean grabs Castiel’s arm, and the angel is about to tell him to run to a safe place without him when he sees his determined look and the blood on the hunter’s side. Knowing that Dean won’t agree to be healed if Castiel doesn’t come with him, he throws the hunter arm above his shoulder, holds him by the waist and walks them to the dungeon.

He quickly closes the door behind them and closes his eyes for a second, letting the fear take over. He didn’t think he’d ever be ready to go, but he’s certainly not ready now, and the last thing he wants is Dean to die trying to save him. The hunter grunts bring him back to reality and he turns to face his friend who is still holding onto him, wincing in pain.

“Dean, that was stupid and unnecessary. You almost got yourself killed.”

“Hey, it gave us enough time to run away!” Dean protests. He tries to stand straight but clutches his side and suddenly looks so pale that he’s probably very close to passing out.

“Let me heal you.” Castiel groans. He doesn’t let the hunter the time to react and pushes his hand out of the way, putting his on the wound instead. The grace is weak, but steady, and it’s just a matter of seconds before the bleeding stops. Dean squeezes his shoulder, silently thanking him while the angel takes a second to catch his breath after using his grace left him panting. 

“I wasn’t sure about that whole oil and fire thing that I read about” Dean says to break the silence, “it definitely pissed it off, but it also slowed it down. If we can find a way to slow it down, we can find a way to kill it! We just need a bit more time.”

“It almost destroyed heaven last time. It won’t stop until I’m dead, it’s too late Dean.” Castiel replies, avoiding the hunter’s gaze. “It’s okay.” He adds, “I knew the moment would come eventually.”

Too quickly, the door starts rattling as the Empty tries to open it. The warding on the room is strong, but it’s not meant for such a powerful being. They’re trapped.

“Let me go with you.” Dean begs in a hoarse voice and Castiel can tell that he’s panicking. He raises his head to look at the beautiful green eyes that he loves so much but the hunter has turned around, looking at the door.

“Dean… you can’t.” He replies and the hunter turns back to look at him. He realizes that they’re both on the verge of tears. “You’ve fought for this whole world. For years. Don’t give up now. Don’t give up because of me. You deserve to see what happens when you finally win.”

“What am I sticking around for exactly?” Dean says, shaking, as the tears start falling freely. “Jack is the one who’s gonna defeat Chuck. I’ve always been terrible with the kid, Sam is the one who can help and guide him. I just… I’m useless, Cas. And I can’t… What then? We win, and you’re gone so it won’t ever feel like a win. I’m tired of losing the people I love… I just want the pain to stop. Falling asleep forever, not feeling anything, that doesn’t seem like the worst fate for me, you know? It definitely sounds a lot better than being anywhere without you.”

“Dean, that’s not how it works.” Castiel’s heart breaks again because he can see the raw pain emanating from Dean. Both of them being in the Empty together, that would be too good to be true and the Shadow knows it. It knows that no matter how much it could try to torture them, they’d always hold on to each other. It knows the further Castiel is from Dean, the more miserable he is, so it’ll make sure that they stay apart.

They hear the Empty scream and all of a sudden, black goo start coming from under the door, slowly making its way to them.

“Cas, please”… Dean begs, and he’s doesn’t even know what is asking for. All he knows is that, without realizing, he took a few steps towards the angel and their bodies are almost touching now, but the hunter needs more. He cups the angel’s face with both hands and kisses him. After a surprised whimper, and maybe a second of hesitation, Castiel grips his shoulder with his right hand, where his handprint used to be years ago, and his waist with his other hand, pulling him closer. Their lips move together in sync, as if they had done this many times before, and Cas realizes that it is the most beautiful and most heart-wrenching moment of his very long existence, because kissing Dean feels better than flying, but feeling the hunter crying against him is like a blade through his heart. What started as shy and sweet is now getting more passionate, more desperate as Dean grips his hair while their tongues are dancing around each other and Castiel can’t believe the love pouring from the hunter while they kiss for the first, and most likely last time.

As they pull apart, Dean sees that the black goo has almost reached their feet. He knows they only have minutes, if not seconds, left.

“Is there anything I can do?” He asks one last time, desperate.

“No Dean, you have to let me go.” Cas replies with a sad smile as he tries to wipe some of the hunter’s tears. Dean knows he won’t be able to stop them, knows that he’s about to lose the angel again so he pulls him close, gripping his trench coat, and buries his face in the crook of his neck.

“I won’t give up on you, I promise I’m gonna come find you. Gonna get you out of there. I love you so much.” He whispers against his skin, pressing as many soft kisses as possible into it.

“Okay Dean.” Cas whispers in the shell of his ear. “I love you too”, he adds before falling to the ground. It only takes a second before his body is covered in black goo and another for his body, and the Empty, to disappear. Everything is silent again, like nothing ever happened, except for Dean’s sobs. He lets himself fall against the nearest wall and screams.

When Sam and Jack finally make it back home a few hours later, with the final ingredients needed for the spell against Chuck, Dean still hasn’t moved.

**Author's Note:**

> If you had to chose between Destiel becoming canon but Cas dying pretty much right after, or for both of them to live but never aknowledge that there's something more than friendship, what would you choose? For some reason, I keep thinking about that lately. Of course, I'm not mentioning the "Destiel isn't canon and Cas dies" option because even though it's very likely, nobody needs that kind of negativity right now. Anyway, let me know your thoughts! :)


End file.
